My children and I, plus two other families, had the great fortune to go and see a pre-screening of the movie The Spy Next Door. (I received free tickets through my association with ChicagoMomsblog.com, and I also won several through MomsLikeMe.com Win It Weekend.) We had 10 kids in tow, ages 7-12, and 3 Moms. A very diverse group. First off I can tell you that we all enjoyed ourselves. No painful groans at the end of the movie. No whining wanting to know, ?Why did you drag me to see this?!? Everyone came out of the movie happy that we went in. It was kid safe, it was funny, and it was the right length.
For many parents I know that?s absolutely all you need to hear. So you don?t have to read any further. Just gather your kids and head to the theatre when the movie opens January 15. End of story.
For others of you who have an interest in an artistic review, here we go.
This movie had a fun, Hollywood dreamland kind of story. Along the lines of Home Alone or the Pacifier. However, it didn?t appear to have the budget that either of those movies had by any stretch of the imagination. The look of the Spy Next Door Movie was closer to a TV movie of the week. The hair and make-up was ill-applied. Bad color choices for the women, and the men. The editing was slow in the first half which gave it a cheap feel. You could see the wire pulls in many of the stunts, which took some of the magic away. And the acting? Well, let?s just say it apparently wasn?t a requirement for participation. All adding up to a B-level TV movie of the week at best. Which I really didn?t understand, as Jackie Chan is a bankable name. At least I thought he was. But judging from the casting the producers weren?t very confident, which is why they cast the rest of the movie as if they were doing product placement. Billy Ray Cyrus, George Lopez and Amber Valletta. Not one of them had any real reason to be in the film. George and Billy especially were ill placed as neither was given the time or space to do what people enjoy seeing them do. Their roles were more like glorified cameos, and unfortunately played about as true as an SNL skit. Amber Valletta as Jackie Chan?s love interest was right up there with Beyonce and Steve Martin in The Pink Panther, or Elizabeth Hurley and Mike Meyers in Austin Powers. However, in both of those movies Steve and Mike were are skilled funny actors who were able to create a chemistry with their counterparts based in humor. That?s not Jackie?s thing. It was absolutely impossible to see how these to people were supposed to be in love and planning to get married. It actually bordered on creepy. And the villains, well they were doing a different movie altogether. More like Inspector Gadget?the sequel.
The kids were good at their jobs though. They weren?t too plastic and they had some good lines. At least one of the writers clearly has a tween daughter at home judging from the clothing battles that the Mom and daughter had in the movie; ie Daughter: ?You told me to put on some jeans!? Mom: ?Yes, in your size!? The effort to bring the family?s personal struggle into the story was admirable. There were some definite moral points mixed into the action, about accepting yourself, and finding family even in people who don?t share your bloodline. My favorite righteous line though was from the Mom; ?My Happiness counts too?. Amen sister! But of course it fell on deaf ears and the kids went about plotting a break up of the Mom and boyfriend anyway. Because the show must go on.
And life must go on. So, in light of the fact that there are very few movies being made for families to attend without fear of edging our kids closer to the precipice of adulthood, beggars can?t be choosers, so go to the movie! You will laugh with the dialog, (at and with). You will be amazed by Jackie Chan?s creative fight combinations. And you will marvel at Billy Ray Cyrus?s hair. All in all you will have a very nice time with your family. And bottom line, that?s what it?s supposed to be about.
SMILE On!
Miss Lori
Miss Lori can be found Musing from her Minivan at MissLori.TV , Wearetherealdeal.com , YoungChicagonista , and ChicagoMomsBlog. She is also the new Chicago Family Entertainment Blogger for Examiner.com and a Discussion Leader for MomsLikeMeChicago. You can also see her Activating to Be Great at Miss Lori?s CAMPUS on Youtube, Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn.
